Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

B. HARRISON. CARPET STRETGHER.

No. 483,057. Patented Sept. 20, 1892.

' INVENTOH EKWW w B) ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES fizol UNITED STATES 7 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT HARRISON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARPET-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,057, datedSeptember 20, 1892.

Application filed April 12, 1892. Serial No. 428,790. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT HARRISON, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Carpet- Stretchers, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in carpet-stretohers, and has forits object to provide a carpet-stretcher which may be conveniently andexpeditiously manipulated and so constructed that the carpet may becarried with the stretcher directly to the base-board of a room.

A further object of the invention is to so form the stretcher that whenthe carpet has been carried to the desired position it may be held inthat position until tacked to place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby thefulcrum from which the device is to be manipulated may be changed as thecharacter of the work may demand, and, further, to construct acarpetstretcher capable of being conveniently carried, of simple,durable, and economic construction, and of a minimum length.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,

' in which similar figures and letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a plan viewthereof, a portion of the body being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a frontedge view of the jaws of the device.

The body of the device consists of a frame A, formed at one endin theshape of or to receive a handle 10. The opposite end of the arm is quitebroad and flattened upon its upper face to form the under jaw 11 of thestretcher, and this jaw upon its upper face at its lower edge isprovided with a series of teeth 12. The body-arm A is arched upconsiderably from the lower or forward end of the jaw to a point at ornear the handle, the curve being very decided; but as the bodyarmapproaches the handle the curve is considerably shortened, as shown inFig. 1.

Near the inner'end of the jaw 11 the body arm is enlarged, preferably incircular form, as shown at 13 in Fig.2, and this enlarge ment is adaptedto receive a pivot-screw 14,

which screw is utilized as the fulcrum for the f upper jaw 15. This jawis the counterpart of the lower one and lies directly over it, beingprovided, also, in like manner with teeth 16, the teeth of the two jawsbeing adapted to mesh, as is shown in Fig. 3.

The upper jaw is provided with an extension 17 at its upper end,terminating in a thumb-plate 18, and the two jaws are normally held inlooking engagement through the medium of a spring 19, which spring has abearing against the under face of the upper jaw extension 17, and issecured to a lug 20, projected from the side of the body. The

spring employed is preferably a strap-spring,

as is best shown in Fig. 1.

Between the fulcrum of the upper jaw and the center of the body-arm Atwo openings 21 and 22 are produced at predetermined intervals apart.These openings are surrounded by bosses formed upon the outer faces ofthe body-arm, and the interior wall of the openings is threaded, asshown in Fig. 2. These openings are adapted for the reception of feet23. These feet are essentially angular and are two in number, one memberbeing pointed at its end, as illustrated at 23, and

the other member being reduced in diameter, forming a shoulder 24, andthe reduced portion of this member is threaded, as shown at 24 in Fig.2.

When the stretcher is to be used, one foot is screwed into one of theopenings 21 or 22 at each side of the body. Thus when the'two feet arein position they are combinedly more or less U -shaped, the points 23being adapted to rest upon the floor. These feet constitute the fulcrumupon which the entire stretcher is to be moved.

In order to strengthen the jaws as much as possible, the upper jawisprovided with a rib 25 and the lower jaw with a rib 26. The two ribs,however, are located at different sides of the centers of the jaws, asshown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the stretcher the fulcrum thereof may be changed tomake the throw long or short by placing the feet in the selectedaperture 21 or 22. The feet are made IOO to rest upon the floor, theupper jaw is opened and the carpet at its edge is caught between theupper and the lower jaw, and is held in that position by releasing theupper jaw. The carpet is placed between the jaws when the feet inclinesubstantially at their lower ends in direction of the point to which theedge of the carpet is to be carried. The body is then pushed forwardupon its fulcrumed feet, and when the floor is reached the upper ends ofthe fulcrumed feet will be inclined in the direction to which the carpetis to be carriedthebase-board, forinstance-and owing to the form of thejaws the carpet may be taken by the jaws directly to the base-board andheld in that position by the operator simply placing one hand upon thestretcher, while with the other hand the carpet may be tacked to place.

It is evident that a stretcher of the construction above described maybe expeditiously and conveniently manipulated, and that even when thejaws are in engagement with the base-board and the floor they may berocked more or less to still further stretch the carpet.

It will be understood that the stretching is efiected between the feetof the implement, and as the feet extend horizontally about five incheseach side of the body of theimplement they do not interfere with theaction of the carpet either in front of or back of the jaws. If theoperator finds that the carpet has been stretched more than sufficient,by elevating the body of the stretcher, still retaining hold of thecarpet, thefeet swing forward, and thereby shorten the stretch withoutnecessitating an adjustment of the feet. The threaded surfaces of thefeet are made as long as possible as is likewise the threaded sockets toreceive such surfaces in order to permit ample and repeated forward andbackward movement of the feet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent I 1. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination, with anarched body terminating at its forward end in a jaw, of a secondspring-pressed jaw pivoted upon the body and adapted for engagement withthe fixedjaw and feet adapted to act as fulcrums for the body and havingadjustable connection with the body, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a carpetstretcher, the combination,

with an arched body terminating at one end in a handle and at the otherend in a fixed jaw, of a spring-pressed jaw pivoted upon the body, thetwo jaws being provided with teeth, the teeth being adapted forengagement with each other, a thumb-plate connected with the pivotedjaw, and feet of angular construction adapted to act as fulcrums for thebody, having an adjustable engagement with the body back of thejaw-pivot, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination, with an arched body having ahandle formed at one end and a jaw at the opposite end and provided withthreaded openings located at distances apart between its ends, ofaspringpressed jaw pivoted upon the body forward of the openingstherein, the pivoted jaw being adapted for engagement with the fixedjaw, and angular feet fitted to enter and turn in the openings of thebody, one foot opposite the other, as and for the purpose specified.

ROBERT HARRISON.

Witnesses:

R. S. DUNCAN, CHAS. L. DAVIS.

